Tech

Collisions Can't Stop Crazy Flying Robot-Insect

Flying robots are great and all, but when a tree or window gets in the way they, conceivably, can only go so far.

The Gimball is solving that problem. Przemyslaw Mariusz Kornatowski and Adrien Briod worked on the project at the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, part of the Switzerland-based technical university Ecole Polytechnique Federerale de Lausanne (EPFL).

The robot, made of carbonfiber materials, contains a stable inner body while it's outer, circular body can move in circular motions. When the flying robot hits an obstacle, that outer part allows it to bounce off and keep moving. It mimics the movement of insects and even makes the familiar buzzing noise of a giant fly.

"The goal of this flying robot is to reproduce the amazing capabilities of insects, especially the fact that they can collide into things and continue flying afterwards," said Briod in an official EPFL video.

As the BBC reports, the Gimball is made up of "an accelerometer, the same type used in smartphones," along with other parts like propellers, fins and a motion sensor camera. The team aims to perfect the design so that Gimball can help with search and rescue missions and other dangerous situations. Currently, the flying robot moves by remote control but the team hopes to employ artificial intelligence so that it can eventually move on its own.

The team tested the robot in a forest and it successfully recovered from a few crashes with trees, managing to make its way through both dense greenery and around large obstacles. As the Laboratory news website states, it's created with these "cluttered environments" in mind.

BONUS: 9 Robotic Inventions That Are Already Among Us

9 Robotic Inventions That Already Exist

1. Giant robot debuts in Japan

A Japanese inventor created a giant, Mech-like robot controlled from within. The machine, called Kuratas, stands 13 feet tall and is capable of speeds of up to 6 mph. (via Reuters)

7. Man Builds His Own Bionic Hands

8. Eythor Bender demos human exoskeletons

Eythor Bender of Berkeley Bionics brings onstage two amazing exoskeletons, HULC and eLEGS -- robotic add-ons that could one day allow a human to carry 200 pounds without tiring, or allow a wheelchair user to stand and walk. (via TED)

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